Interest in study of astrophysics skyrockets following The Bachelor
The powers that be have been trying to get people interested in science and maths careers for years — all they really needed was a sexy, single astrophysicist on TV.
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Reality television has become an unlikely advocate for careers in science, withThe Bachelorcausing a massive spike in interest in astrophysics.
Since the program aired featuring single astrophysicist Matt Agnew and a mansion full of glamorous women, Google searches for “astrophysicist” have skyrocketed in Australia.
They reached a record high, with 50 times more people interested at the start of August than a year earlier.
It is hoped “the Bachie effect” will convert into university enrolments, doing for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) what Hawaii Five-O and Law and Order did for policing and legal studies.
The Demographics Group managing director Bernard Salt said the influence of TV on career choices was very real.
“It’s a numbers game,” he said.
“If this show can trigger 20,000 people to Google ‘astrophysicist’ then maybe three or four might be sufficiently engaged by what they saw to follow through with a career.
“They might have been science and math inclined anyway but that might trigger a career path. “It’s a very real effect as people can only choose what they are exposed to.”
Professor Hans Bachor of the Australian Academy of Science agreed increased awareness of the profession could lead to more people pursuing STEM.
Dr Agnew was invited by the Academy to speak at an Adults Only Science night at Questacon earlier this month.
The event sold a record numbers of tickets and social media comments since have showed young women inspired to follow in his footsteps.
“He is a celebrity but he also has a convincing story … and if people see role models like that, it will help,” Prof Bachor said.
“I think it will attract people to these types of professions.”
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A survey of 251 UniLodge students found just over one in 10 (11 per cent) said they were more likely to consider a career in a STEM field since seeing The Bachelor.
UniLodge chief executive Tomas Johnsson said it was fascinating to see the influence The Bachelor and pop culture had on students.
“Search data is indicating growing interest in the field of astrophysics, but we are also seeing first-hand the influence this season’s The Bachelor is having on study and career aspirations across our student accommodation portfolio,” he said.
“The sweeping majority (66 per cent) of students were not familiar with astrophysics prior to watching the show.”
Monash University astrophysicist and lecturer Andy Casey said the interest would likely “translate” into increased university enrolments.
He had received a much more enthusiastic response when speaking at schools since The Bachelor aired.
“It’s a great thing that people are starting to learn more about it and I’m not surprised it has had this effect,” he said.
“Astronomy and astrophysics are for everyone, you just need to be curious and passionate.”
Dr Casey, whose current work is around stars that should not exist based on scientific understanding, read through Dr Agnew’s PhD paper and gave it the thumbs up.
“My cousin had a viewing party on the night (The Bachelor) started and a sweep and she made sure we would get there an hour before it started so I printed his papers and we went through them with a bit of detail,” he said.
“By any objective metric he had a very successful PhD.”
One of his students, Rowina Nathan, may have been influenced to pursue a PhD in astrophysics herself since watching the reality TV show.
Ms Nathan is studying a double degree in science and commerce at Monash, majoring in astrophysics and business analytics.
“I was thinking about honours and coincidentally around this time I have been thinking a PhD could be a good idea,” she said.
“It’s more on my mind because of The Bachelor.
“It’s cool hearing Matt talk about science with (competitor) Chelsea, the chemical engineer.”
Although she personally chose astrophysics after visiting NASA in Florida, Ms Nathan had seen the influence of television on young people’s career choices.
“I’ve got friends who have done criminology or law because they watched Suits or CSI or things like that,” she said.
It was recently revealed enrolments in paramedicine degrees jumped since the airing of reality television show Paramedics.
Career Development Association of Australia vice president Carolyn Alchin said it usually took a year or two for such influence to filter through to course enrolments.
“The media is a very large career influencer on individuals who spend so much time on their screens,” she said.
“We need a diversity of STEM demonstrated in the media on a regular basis — all cultures and old and young.”
Governments, educators and industry groups have been trying to encourage more people, particularly women, into STEM careers for years, motivated by skill shortages and job growth.
The University of Technology Sydney last month announced a 10-point entry bonus to female applicants in engineering, information technology and construction to improve the gender balance in those fields.
WHERE STEM JOBS ARE FORECAST TO GROW, 2018-2023.
44,000 more ICT (information and communication technology) professionals
17,800 more engineering, ICT and science technicians
13,900 more natural and physical science professionals
11,300 more medical practitioners
7500 more engineering professionals
SOURCE: Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
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